Today is primary election day in Florida.  Where ever you are, you can find out when your state’s primary election date is here. 

I won’t deem to tell you whom to vote for.  That’s up to you, your conscience, and your morals.  What I will urge you towards is voting.  Vote early, vote by mail, vote in person, it doesn’t matter when or how you vote, just vote! 

Like I said, it doesn’t matter when or how you vote, but it does matter who you vote for – or rather who you don’t vote for.  Statistically, a vote for a third-party candidate is more beneficial to the candidate trailing in the polls.  A write-in vote does the same, as does not voting at all, just because your candidate of choice didn’t get the nomination or for any other reason.  All these actions take votes away from what might be your second choice, or your party’s actual nominee, and thus gives the other candidate the advantage. 

Now is not the time to be magnanimous.  Mid-terms are a good time to vote for third-party candidates or write-ins, if they do get elected, they can help build coalitions in order to gain a majority for a particular party. 

Is it also important to vote in local elections.  Many current Congresspeople and Senators started at School Boards and City Councils.  That was the time to determine if you like their policies and positions and stop or encourage them.  Once they move up to state or national legislators, it is much harder to raise the awareness to vote them out.  Do your research now, and pay attention to what they say and do between elections.

Do you know what you can do for your country?  You can VOTE!